Apparatus for dividing liquid into uniformly distributed flows



n 1969 c. w. J. VAN KOPPEN ETAL 3,420,443

APPARATUS FOR DIVIDING LIQUID INTO UNIFORMLY DISTRIBUTED FLOWS Filed May2, 196 6 United States Patent 6506231 U.S. Cl. 239-193 Int. Cl. B05b1/14 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A liquid divider anddistributor apparatus has an inclined trough-shaped bottom having afeeding device at one end thereof. The bottom is formed by a series ofalternately positioned transverse flat and corrugated plates whichoverlap so as to provide a discharge gap or gaps between the lower edgeof each flat plate and the succeeding corrugated plate. Each corrugatedplate forms an angle with the plane of the respective succeeding flatplate, which angle increases towards the end of the trough remote fromthe liquid feeding device. The trough-shaped member is inclined to allowliquid to cascade downwardly from the liquid feeding device and theangles of the corrugated plates are set so that a substantially equalflow of spraying liquid drops through each of the said gaps during flowof liquid therein.

The present invention relates to spraying apparatus and moreparticularly to apparatus providing a uniform distribution of fallingdriblets, especially for rinsing finegrained particles which are coveredwith suspension in order to separate the suspension from the particlesas the particles are passed along a screen in a layer having a thicknesswhich is a multiple of the dimensions of the particles, the suspensionbeing entrained and carried through the screen by the rinsing liquid.

Many aspects of the problem, as well as the environment to which thepresent invention is addressed, are discussed at length in Britishpatent specification 986,428 and US. Patent 3,147,212 wherein theapparatus disclosed makes use of a spraying device consisting of areservoir mounted over the screen and provided with a number ofuniformly distributed apertures in the bottom and of plates which areobliquely arranged under the said apertures and the lower ends of whichare provided with teeth or corrugations. Notwithstanding the fact thatin practice the apertures have a comparatively large diameter of, forinstance, 10-12 mm. so that no plugging by particles contained in thespraying liquid need be expected, plugging may be caused bycomparatively large particles, so that the uniform distribution of theliquid is not insured.

(As explained in the paragraph bridging pages 2 and 3 of theabovementioned US. patent, at least in the coal and ore processingindustries, clarified water originating from the overflowing fraction ofa thickener is sometimes used as rinsing liquid input to sprayingapparatus of this character and it is in such instances that particleswhich can cause plugging are contained in the spraying liquid.)

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide apparatus forseparating a flow of liquid into a plurality of output streamsdistributed uniformly over an output area.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device,

of the type described, which is less susceptible than prior artapparatus to clogging when clarified water is being distributed.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of aspraying device characterized by a troughshaped member with an inclinedbottom, the bottom comprising a series of alternating flat andcorrugated strips each slightly below and overlapped with each precedingstrip to define a slot between the forward, lower edge of each flatplate and the subjacent rear, upper edge of each corrugated plate, thesuccessive corrugated plates forming angles with the general plane ofthe bottom, which angles increase proceeding from the upper toward thelower extent of the inclined bottom; and a feeding device constructedand arranged to deliver a flow of liquid to the bottom near the upperextent of the bottom.

These and further objects of the present invention as well as theprinciples and scope of applicability thereof will become apparentduring the course of the following detailed discussion related to theexemplary embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, with parts broken awayto expose details that would otherwise be hidden from view, of sprayingapparatus embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal, vertical sectional view of the apparatus ofFIGURE 1 taken substantially along the longitudinal centerline thereof.

Referring to the figures, the trough 1 has two longitudinal sidewalls 2and 3 and a bottom 4 which slants when the apparatus is positioned foroperation, the degree of slant being most apparent in FIGURE 2.

In the exemplary apparatus shown, the bottom 4 is generally straight, asopposed to being serpentine or the like, and is formed by a series offiat plates 5 and corrugated plates 6, plates in the series beingalternately flat and corrugated starting with a flat first plate 511 anda corrugated final plate 6b. As best seen in FIGURE 1, the corrugationson each plate 6 proceed so as to define plural channels extendinggenerally parallel to the cutting plane on which FIGURE 2 is taken.

The fiat and corrugated plates so overlap each other, as shown in FIGURE2, that a transversely elongated slot is formed between the lowerforward edge of each flat plate 5 and the upper surface of eachsubjacent corrugated plate 6. The flat plates 5 are all parallel to oneanother and each slopes downwardly at an angle less than that of animaginary longitudinally directed line connecting the midpoints of allof the flat plates 5 to define a general slope of the bottom. In otherwords, the leading edge each next preceding flat plate 5 lies somewhatvertically higher than the trailing edge of the next succeeding fiatplate 5 roof-tile fashion, the vertical height difference in each casebeing at least equal to the height of the corrugated plate 6 extendingtherebetween.

The corrugated plates 6 are secured to transversely extending rods 7.The rods are pivotally mounted in bearings 9 in the side walls 2 and 3of the trough 1 and can be adjusted and fixed in position from outsidethe trough side walls. The angle which the successive corrugated plates6 form with the general slope plane of the bottom is not the same forall plates 6, but each tips rearwardly and downwardly slightly more thanthe plate 6 next preceding it as viewed from the left to right in FIGURE2.

During operation, the apparatus shown in the drawing is oriented so thatthe bottom generally slopes at about 15 degrees and liquid to be sprayedis fed to the upper end region of the bottom by feeding means 8, whoseparticular configuration does not form part of the present invention. Inthe embodiment shown, the feeding means 8 consists of a tank having aslot in the bottom extending transversely slightly less than the widthof the trough bottom over the first flat plate 5a. Liquid placed in thetank 8 flows through the slot and onto the flat plate 5a, From there,the liquid flows forwardly and down along the bottom 4 as a layer underthe influence of gravity. At each slot-like opening under the lower edgeof a flat plate 5,

a portion of the liquid splits from the liquid layer, reverses flow,passing rearwardly and downwardly along the subjacent corrugated plateand drips from the trailing edge of that corrugated plate 6 in aplurality of driblets uniformly spaced transversely of the trough 1.

Looking at FIGURE 2, it should be obvious that the velocity of theliquid, imparted during its fall from the feeding device 8 to theforwardly, downwardly sloping first flat plate 5a and converted toforward velocity upon contacting the first fiat plate 5a, and thevelocity boosts which occur as the liquid falls from the forward edge ofa corrugated plate 6 to the succeeding fiat plate 5 and runs down theforwardly, downwardly sloping upper surface thereof, are what drivesflows of the fluid forwardly along subsequent corrugated plates 6, eventhough the latter may be uphill.

Each assembly 6, 7 is so adjusted, then secured in position byconstantly increasing the tip angle as discussed above, thatsubstantially the same amount of liquid drips from the trailing edge ofeach of the corrugated plates 6. This pattern continues up to the lowestcorrugated plate 6b where the amount of liquid received from the lastflat plate 5 is separated into two parts one of which flows forwardlyand the other rearwardly over the plate 6 as shown by dashed lines inFIGURE 2.

It should be apparent that the apparatus just described providesdriblets of substantially equal spacing and volume along the length aswell as the width of the bottom. As explained above, the driblets can beeffectively used as input to a fine-grained material-suspension particleseparation screen device positioned below the trough 1, although broaderusefulness of the apparatus shown in the drawings is within the purviewof the invention.

To promote more uniform distribution of the liquid, the profiles ofsuccessive corrugated plates are slightly staggered so as to be out oflongitudinal registry. In addition, each flat plate trailing edge can beprovided with a flange 10 which rests against the rod supporting thesuperjacent corrugated plate, as shown in FIGURE 2, in order to achievedesirable sealing.

It should now be apparent that the apparatus just described eflicientlyaccomplishes each of the objects of the invention set forth hereinaboveand clearly illustrates the principles of the invention. Because theembodiment illustrated can be considerably modified without departingfrom these principles or failing to accomplish these objects, thepresent invention should be understood as encompassing all suchmodifications as are within the spirit and sco e of the followingclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for receiving a flow of liquid and dividing the liquid intoa plurality of uniformly distributed flows comprising:

means defining a trough having a bottom, said bottom being inclined soas to have a higher end and a lower end;

said bottom comprising a series of flat plates and a series ofcorrugated plates, the plates of the two series being disposed inalternating, overlapping relationship, each corrugated plate having atrailing edge disposed beneath the preceding one of said flat plates anda leading edge disposed in overlying relationship to the succeeding oneof said flat plates;

the flat plates being tipped forwardly and downwardly,

in the sense proceeding from the higher end toward the lower end of saidbottom, the successive corrugated plates forming angles with theinclination of the bottom, which angles increase in magnitude proceedingfrom the upper end toward the lower end of the bottom, whereby liquiddelivered to the bottom near the higher end thereof flows, under theinfluence of gravity, forwardly and downwardly over said flat plates andis split while flowing over said corrugated plates into first portionswhich flow rearwardly and downwardly and drip from the trailing edges ofthe corrugated plates beneath the flat plates and second portions whichflow forwardly and drip from the leading edges of the corrugated plates.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the flat plates are parallel to oneanother, the distance between successive of the flat plates being atleast equal to the height of the corrugated plate therebetween.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein successive of said corrugated plateshave corrugations staggered so as to be out of longitudinal registrywith each other.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further including means for increasing anddecreasing the slope of said corrugated plates individually.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the last mentioned means comprises aplurality of rods, each corrugated plate being secured to one of saidrods; said rods extending transversely of and being rotatably mounted onsaid trough, said rods protruding outwardly of said trough whereby saidcorrugated plates are adjustable from outside the trough.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further including means defining a flange oneach flat plate, each flange resting on one of said rods.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further including tank means supporting onsaid trough, said tank means having a slot therein extendingtransversely of the trough suprajacent the higher end of the troughbottom and adapted to deliver liquid to said bottom higher end.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,592,605 4/1952 Searles 209-17 X3,147,212 9/1964 Van Koppen 20917 3,158,171 11/1964 Eckert 137262 FRANKW. LUTTER, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

